Artist Karen Rossi is closing her studio in Torrington in June and has opened a new location in Norfolk.

Artist Karen Rossi is closing her studio in Torrington in June and has opened a new location in Norfolk.

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Karen Rossi closing art studio in Torrington, moving to Norfolk

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TORRINGTON >> Karen Rossi’s art studio at 27 East Main St. in the heart of downtown Torrington, has been a staple of the arts/culture community since it opened in 2014. To further her focus on projects in Meriden and Norfolk, the artist has decided to close the East Main Street studio in June.

Rossi has been a key player in the annual Torrington Arts Walk, the citywide Yarn Bomb, the Together We are Torrington mural project with the Torrington PAL program and countless other campaigns. Though her studio is closing, her work will still be present in the city.

A project created by Rossi’s yarn bomb team, The Mad River Selkies, has found a home in the Starfish Cove room in the Maria Seymour Brooker Memorial building, and the Together We are Torrington mural is part of children’s center at Brooker Memorial.

Jan Lyon, Director of Outreach and Children’s Services at Brooker Memorial, said she is very happy that Rossi’s work was donated for the Starfish Cove children’s waiting area, a room with an aquatic theme that went hand-in-hand with the Mad River Selkies’ contributions to the Yarn Bomb. The artwork was originally displayed on the bridge overlooking the Naugatuck River.

“(Starfish Cove) has become a central part of what we want to do with the kids when they come (for dental care) and…we’re still working on the hours and timing,” Lyon said, adding that the artwork will be protected by having volunteers in the room when it’s being used by the children.

The Together We Are Torrington mural, created by children in the Torrington PAL program, is showcased in Brooker Memorial’s Child Care Center.

Lindsay Raymond, Executive Director of the Torrington Police Athletics League, said she loved working with Rossi on the mural project. She’s happy that the work has found a home at Brooker Memorial.

“This (mural) was a wonderful partnership between local artist Karen Rossi and the REGI Grants of the NWCT Community Arts Council,” Raymond said. “It was a special opportunity for marginalized kids to see themselves as a part of the community. They not only saw themselves in Torrington, but they saw themselves as Torrington — the very future of Torrington. Placing the mural in Brooker Memorial will inspire all young kids who attend to see themselves apart of Torrington as well as their parents and families. It’s evocative and fun to see the kids’ expressions of themselves. You can’t help being happy at the whimsy. What a great way to encourage community.”

Rossi’s studio is now located at 60 Estey Road, Norfolk. The closing reception for the Torrington studio will be June 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The public is invited to attend.